Leveraging Employee Agility to Navigate Entrepreneurial Challenges: A Theoretical Perspective

Abstract

There are numerous studies that address the challenges faced by entrepreneurial firms in India. However, there remains a gap in the literature to address these challenges from an employee perspective. More specifically, the role of employee agility in context to these challenges remains unexplored. It is to be noted that, the role of employees is extremely crucial for survival of any entrepreneurial firm. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to review the challenges faced by entrepreneurial ventures in India and how employee agility can help in tackling these challenges. For this purpose, the study has conducted a theoretical review of existing literature.  The findings of this study are presented in two parts. First, we identified the major challenges of entrepreneurial ventures in India. In the second part, we elaborated on the role of employee agility and how it can be effectively employed by the organizations to mitigate the negative effects of these challenges.  According to the literature, some of the major challenges faced by the entrepreneurial firms in India are lack of understanding of market needs (market related barriers), unfriendly regulations by the government, technological barrier and employee hiring and retention. In light of these challenges, some of the major strategies under the purview of employee agility are optimizing technological solutions through innovation, continuous learning and development, adaptability towards product customization and proactive response to market trends. Incorporating employee agility in such firms will not only address the current challenges, but will also help them to thrive in a competitive environment.